Reptiles Leopard Geckos

Californian kingsnakes are the most commonly seen and bred of the kingsnake family in captivity. They are now available in a number of colour and pattern mutations, and have even been hybridized with many other species. They are a reptile eating species and are voracious feeders, but commonly take rodents in captivity. They are very hardy and can be expected to live for approximately 15 20 years, making them an excellent choice for a pet snake.

Housing

When keeping any snake as a pet, you generally want to be able to view the snake from the outside of its enclosure, in the most natural surroundings you can offer. This will be more aesthetically pleasing and also aid in the general condition of the snake. If the snake likes its surroundings, it will have a better feeding response and generally grow quicker. A larger vivarium also offers more interest to the snakes life, and by adding branches and other natural products you will enhance the quality of life the snake has, and stop it from becoming lethargic and overweight. Also, being stronger it should have more of a resistance to any viral infections or any other problems that it may encounter later in life.

For an adult kingsnake a vivarium 120cm Length x 45cm Width x 45cm Height is ample. Contrary to popular belief, and propaganda spread by various campaigners, you can actually have too large of an enclosure for many snakes. The reason for this, is that snakes are very prone to stress, and being in an excessively large enclosure can scare them. Imagine in the wild they are constantly hiding from predators, then, when they feel its safe in the dark of night, they will venture out to hunt for food. Once they find their food, they will return to the safety of their secure hiding place until the next time around. Many species will not even hunt for food; rather, they will sit and wait for their prey to come along. They may also leave their den for sloughing their skin or finding a mate at certain times of the year. Many individual snakes feel very comfortable in captivity, although this generally comes with age and lots of handling. Snakes like these will often thrive in a larger than usual enclosure.

Snake enclosures can be made from a number of materials. Most commonly used is a melamine coated wood which covers all sides except the front, which has glass sliding doors. Aquariums can also be used, although a specialist lid should be bought or made rather than the original aquarium lid. It is essential when thinking about what type of enclosure you use, you think about these 6 SSSHHH factors:

1) Safety Can the snake or owner injure itself from the enclosure or any appliances held within?
2) Secure Can the snake escape through any small hole or cavity?
3) Size Will the enclosure be appropriately sized?
4) Heating Is the enclosure able to regulate the temperature properly?
5) Humidity Will the enclosure last well in humid conditions? Is there enough ventilation for the moisture to escape?
6) Hygienic Will the enclosure build up a lot of bacteria in small cavities? Is it easy to clean?

By following the steps above, you can have a suitable enclosure made from a variety of materials.

Dcor

Dcor in your tank serves two purposes. First being extra cover for your snake and second, allowing for a more natural and pleasing appearance. When choosing dcor, think about the safety of the snake. Make sure that whatever you decide to use, it is securely fixed and that no rocks, wood or anything heavy can fall and possibly injure, or even kill the snake. You must also make sure that everything used is parasite free. If anything has been picked up from outside, or has originally come from outside, such as cork bark, you should either boil it, or place the item in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes. Freezing works for some parasites, however others have been known to survive months in freezing conditions. Some parasites found in English conditions last winters in minus temperatures, so it is not entirely effective.

Once all your dcor is parasite free, it is then safe to place inside your enclosure. As a general rule, if you can put pressure on an item to knock it down, an adult king snake is also capable of doing this. When positioning rocks or heavy objects, make sure they are completely secure. If it is still uneasy, screw them or use superglue to fix them securely. If it is not possible, the rule is simple: Do not place the item in the vivarium!

If you decide to go for a large enclosure, you must provide plenty of cover and hiding areas. A hiding place can be anything from an ice cream tub with a hole cut out to a naturalistic piece of cork bark. There are many brands of fake plants and dcor you can use which is both safe for the animal and pleasing to the eye. Cork bark is available from almost any reptile pet shop in the UK, and can be ordered in if they do not have it in stock. This is excellent cover for any reptile and is 100% natural. One thing you must consider when thinking about the size of the vivarium, is the bigger you go, the more hiding areas you must provide. I recommend at least one hiding place per foot in length of the enclosure.

NOTE: Never use sticky tape in an enclosure; this is an accident waiting to happen. Believe me; removing sticky tape from any snake is no easy task!

Heating

Kingsnakes require a thermal gradient, meaning they must be allowed to move around the enclosure to find their required temperature. The hot end of the enclosure should be 86-90F while the cool end should be approximately 78-80F. During the night, the temperature should drop to a more constant overall temperature of 74-78

In my opinion, the ideal way of heating a kingsnake enclosure is to use a power plate. This is a small thin square plate, about 25mm thick which is screwed into the top of the vivarium. It does not need to be protected, as there is no way a snake can grip onto it. It is almost invisible to the eye as it simply sits on the ceiling of the vivarium. The only brand available in the UK is HabiStat Reptile Radiator; it is 75 Watts and is sufficient for any vivarium up to 4ft long and possibly larger. It produces no light and therefore in a vivarium you will need a form of lighting as well. A power plate should be used in conjunction with a HabiStat Pulse Proportional Thermostat, which will stop the power reaching the power plate as soon as the temperature goes above the setting, and turn back on as soon as it is too cool. This is one of the most accurate thermostats on the market today.

Ceramic heaters, spot bulbs and heat mats are also ways of heating a vivarium. These all have their advantages and disadvantages, but in my opinion, none quite weigh out to be as good as a power plate.

Lighting

Kingsnakes are primarily nocturnal, meaning they venture out in the dark of night. This is when their main predators are sleeping, and their prey is awake. This is not to say though, that they never see the sun, or any form of lighting for that matter. They will often bask in the sun during the day in the wild, so lighting should be offered.

Having artificial light in a vivarium is aesthetically pleasing to the owner, and is a good addition to a snakes enclosure. They will use this as a photo-period, and their regular time clock will generally adjust to the settings on which you have your light set to.

They do not require any form of special lighting, such as a D3 Ultra-Violet light commonly used for diurnal species. An Arcadia Natural Sunlight Fluorescent Lamp is a good form of lighting. This comes in lengths of 12 up to 48 and I suggest you use the largest size able to fit inside your vivarium.

Humidity

Californian Kingsnakes are generally not exposed to a high humidity range in the wild, and in captivity you should not worry about controlling this. A fairly dry environment should be provided, although raising the humidity when the snake is coming up to a slough may aid in shedding its skin properly.

Feeding

Hatchlings should be offered pinky mice, and as they grow the mice should become larger. An adult kingsnake should be fed on large size mice or small weaner rats. Hatchlings should be fed on a regular basis, every 4-5 days is ideal. Their metabolic rate is very high and as they are growing, they need a lot more food to keep them going. Adult kingsnakes need feeding once every 2 weeks on 2 large mice. The only exception when they should be fed more is bringing them out of hibernation, getting them into condition for breeding and then, fattening up females for egg production. An egg-laying female should be fed more often than normal, once a week on 2 large mice.

By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com

Costa Blanca, Spain is the perfect destination for a family holiday as there are some great theme parks and water parks to visit, as well as beautiful beaches. The best way to explore the Costa Blanca is by hire car, as you can drive to whichever attraction you want, whenever you want.

Here are details of five of the best family attractions that you can visit during your hire car holiday on the Costa Blanca. All of these attractions are only a short trip from the popular tourist resorts of Alicante and Benidorm.

1. Terra Mitica

Terra Mitica is a huge theme park situated just outside of Benidorm. You can drive from Alicante to Terra Mitica in about 35 minutes in your Costa Blanca hire car.

The park is divided into five historically themed areas, each of which is packed with rides and shows to suit all ages, together with shops and restaurants:

• Egypt: You can ride on an Egyptian boat, get drenched on the Falls of the Nile log flume, take part in The Battle of the Pyramid paintball game, or watch the Heartbeat of the Sea multimedia show.
• Greece: Enter the Labyrinth of the Minotaur, get soaked on the Triton Fury log flume and enjoy a meal at the Acropolis
• Rome: Some of the biggest thrill rides are in this area, including the Magnus Colossus rollercoaster, the Flight of the Phoenix free fall ride and the Inferno rollercoaster. You can also see shows including a gladiator fight.
• Iberia: Ride the Tizonalooping rollercoaster or test your driving skills on the Ariete bumper cars.
• The Islands: Cool down on the Rapids of Argos bumper boat ride, enjoy a ride on the Mithos carousel or learn about mythology on Ulysses Rescue.

2. Mundomar Marine Exotic Animal Park

If you hire a car during your Costa Blanca holiday, you can drive to Mundomar Marine Exotic Animal Park, just one of the attractions surrounding Costa Blanca outside of Benidorm. Here you can see flamingos, turtles, seals, sea lions, penguins, parrots, and a whole host of other animals and birds. The park has a bat cave, a play area for children and a dolphinarium, where you can watch a dolphin show.

It will take you about 40 minutes to drive from Alicante to Mundomar Marine Exotic Animal Park in your Costa Blanca if you try car hiring.

3. Aqualandia

Aqualandia is right next to Mundomar Exotic Animal Park, just outside of Benidorm, and it is easy to reach in your Costa Blanca hire car.

This large water park offers rides and pools to suit the whole family. You can ride the rapids, try out the exciting Big Bang chutes, race family members on the Splash multi-track slide, bob along on the Amazonas and even watch a sea lion show.

4. Terra Natura

The Terra Natura wildlife park is located about 5km outside of Benidorm, and it is a great place to visit during a Costa Blanca hire car holiday.

Terra Natura is home to more than 1,500 animals, and is divided into four separate areas:

• Pangea: You can see lizards, scorpions and snakes here, as well as other animals and reptiles.
• Asia: In this area of the park, you can see elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards and many other animals and birds.
• America:This area is home to animals and birds such as flamingos, jaguars and monkeys.
• Europe: Residents include donkeys, horses, deer and turtles.

You can also ride a donkey, see crocodiles and alligators being fed, and see a number of different shows.

5. Aqua Natura

Aqua Natura is a water park right next to Terra Natura, and is a great place to cool down from the Costa Blanca heat during your hire car holiday.

Park your hire car at the entrance and enjoy the water slides, wave pool and jacuzzi. There is also a great play area for children, an aquarium where you can see rays, sharks and many different species of fish, and you can even swim with sharks!

This year the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva will commence operations. It's generally expected the LHC, as the world's most powerful machine, is capable of producing supersymmetric particles, otherwise known as sparticles.

While most sparticles are confined to a lesser energy, any evidence of squarks will at least require a mass-energy equivalent to a gluino g^ = 6.388355 TeV. For example, the first LHC runs may create a 'light Higgs boson,' as evidenced by CERN's electron collider before it was terminated for the upgrade. Though such confirmation will be ballyhooed as a major 'discovery' of the 'standard model Higgs boson,' it would be foolish if finding that was the only point of building the LHC. But it's certainly vindicated by the lack of evidence of sparticles to date. Likewise, the lepton collider was incapable of producing the raft of states encompassing the 'minimal supersymmetric Higgs mechanism,' the heaviest of which imparts mass to the gluino. One can then be rest assured the real interesting physics won't occur until the accelerator reaches higher relativistic energies of focused proton-antiproton collisions by maybe the end of 2008.

In fact, it's probably impossible to generate not just squarks, but the lightest sparticle - the Fermi equivalent of a Higgs boson better known as a neutralino (that constitutes the proportion of galactic 'dark mass' called WIMPs) - without first producing a gluino. For what is referred to above as "the real interesting physics" reduces to a precisely mapped chain of transformational decays that further accounts for the observed dominance of fermion matter over anti-matter in baryogenesis - the creation of material baryons; precursors of protons and neutrons.

It's my opinion that in these senses the gluino represents the most important, yet presently seems the least appreciated or understood, state of the sparticle-particle spectrum. Likewise, there is more to super-symmetry than just the idea of a sparticle as the inverse spin-state of a lighter fundamental particle. For example, a quark carries a fractional charge whose nature as a fermion demands the existence of an anti-quark of opposite charge. A squark, on the other hand, is a boson of integer spin whose charge is ultimately determined by the 'first generation' of the +2e/3-Up or -1e/3-Down 'family' to which it belongs. So while the Up is the lightest quark, the 'sUp' is the heaviest squark owing to an 'inverted flavor hierarchy' where the heaviest Top quark corresponds to the lightest 'sTop' squark, a nuance of SUSY that's not a mere function of fermi-bose spin-inversion. Yet just as importantly the Bose nature of squarks certainly reinforces the subsequent absence of an identifiable Fermi-like state of antimatter: a -2/3 or +1/3 charged squark is simply not allowed.

And although it is far too light to produce three 1st generation squarks, only a neutral gluino is heavy enough to, and so in fact must, strongly decay into either a U-squark with two light sBottoms or two D-squarks with, say, a sCharm. Given these demands, it's rather easy to imagine how a fixed squark charge from gluino decay is a prerequisite for material baryogenesis. There's much more to this of course, but our explanation here conveys the hard theoretic essense in plain English. Although a couple of other 'models' have been proposed which seem in accord, or amendable, with these conclusions, there is little evidence that any argument has effectively challenged the notoriously inadequate means of addressing baryogenesis in terms other than the some variant of the standard model of CP [or CPT] 'symmetry violations' from basically a high-energy meson-like quark-antiquark/gluon plasma - hardly 'stable matter.' For theorists to collectively acknowledge neutralino dark-mass, but not baryon-matter, as representing the 'Purposeful-consequence of SUSY' - creating a viable physical world corresponding to the one we live in - is beyond comprehension or easy excuses.

But then again, many experimentally-minded physicists believe that SUSY in any guise is hypothetical speculation barring empirical evidence otherwise, as if CERN's new toy won't test this assumption soon enough. And I casually await these results with no less interest than anyone else. Yet it'd surely be fair to question the advisability of disputing established theoretical criteria of greater intellects, especially if merely based on an unsubstantiated claim of calculating the precise gluino mass. In regards to the former critique, all I'm saying is that no consensus or other "authority" provides any explanation for actual baryogenesis. By comparison, the proposed elucidation in fact supplies exact solutions for at least (well-measured) CP-violations in K-mesons as an adjacent process for a final stage of literal baryogenesis. Which furthermore naturally provides a precise percentage of baryon matter relative to the 'critical density' of universal mass that's in fine accord with observational evidence - yet is supposedly a mere "coincidence" otherwise.

But it's the latter critique that demands the greater emphasis here as a follow-up to a previous essay (see resource box) about our central discoveries. In this regard, the gluino mass is given as the first of four examples of data and proofs on the website, as well as before the introductory text. Two of these other choices utilize well-measured particle-states that constitute "pudding proofs" which empirically, as well as theoretically, confirm the calculation for the precise mass of the down and up, as well as, strange and bottom, quarks, in the latter case also verifying the mass of the 'Higgs vacuum minimum.' While the gluino mass comparatively will lack full LHC-verification beyond 2008, it entails a hard proof nonetheless, though it's not theoretical either. Rather, the mass is given as a means to urge serious readers to taste and "eat the pudding" for themselves as the first of two 'hands-on mathematical tasks.' Which is to write three dimensionless equations as independent ratios to other masses in an abbreviated sparticle-particle table following the introductory chapter (as a prelude to receiving the expanded swamp of the full spectrum containing the gluino).

For the point of the earlier article was that establishing a dimensionless system of ratios between metric parameters is in itself insufficient and rather meaningless unless one is able to write a discrete, 'pure' numerical equation, which naturally is precisely predictive. If three independent equations exist as dimensionless ratios to the gluino mass, a cogent being might conclude that it is the only possible answer even without experimental data to "back the claim." In any case, in this proof the bowl of pudding is in your hands - and for six years that this material has been on the web, everyone tested spilled everything before the first spoon hit their mouth - no one has supplied one equation, let alone three. Seems nobody wants, recognizes or is willing to 'buy' concrete, or new, information anyway - they're too busy trying to convince me, as each other, that they are real authorities.

Sean Sheeter is an independent theorist and author of the forthcoming hardcover "241-Mumbers: The Definitive Data for Fundamental Physics and Cosmology," now available as an e-course. The gluino mass is one of four examples of Sample Data and Proofs found at http://www.241mumbers.com/page2.html Interested parties are encouraged to subscribe to the e-training since successful solutions to the task of providing equations for this mass will warrant a free ever-updated subscription (or) at least (a far cheaper e-book for, say, a correct partial answer) unto the foreseeable future. Though the 241-mumbers website conveys a similar message with regard to the value of the e-course compared to the hardcover, this specific task is not mentioned but rather is reserved for this essay as a perfect follow-up to http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Pure-Derivation-of-the-Exact-Fine-Structure-Constant-and-as-a-Ratio-of-Two-Inexact-Metric-Constants&id=907943

For we're trying to distribute this raft of unique information both as cheaply and directly (so, granted, to potentially the most customers) as possible - our foremost concern being the optimized, hands-on learning process. The purpose of which is to insure that one respects ultimate authority: the information and arguments themselves. But, as that concluding caveat alluded, in the real academic-world, as with business or the google-eyed internet: money = self-promotion; of your job, institution, bosses and/or peers (which => more $/prestige: =Most$-> PR/Google-Yahoo!!). So who cares if it takes another seven years to sell one manuscript? But one thing's assured: whoever wants it will have earned it the one-and-only way it can be acquired, learned or itself respected. As the brethren say in the gnostical way to another down in JA, "enough respect," except unto Jah, or just as reality, all else being relatively transitory self-illusion.

As an educator and science fair judge I have seen many great science projects and many poor science projects. What makes a project great. Following are some ideas for making a science fair project a winning project. First, you have to make sure you study, study, study, and understand your topic. It is very important that you follow the steps of the scientific method when studying your topic. That means that you make a hypothesis (prediction statement) and then test it to see if it is true or not.

Make sure you have enough data to test your hypothesis. I've seen projects fail because they only tested a few subjects. It is important that your conclusions answer your original question. You should have a log book that describes what you have done throughout the completion of your project. Your paper should be typed in APA format and contain references within the text and a reference list at the end of the paper. A reference list contains the sources that you used to write your paper. It is also a good idea to have charts and graphs showing your data and results. When completing your study, be sure to observe safety regulations so you are not putting yourself or anyone else in danger.

Your poster board should be neat, clean, and should present good visuals that are relevant to your study. When you are presenting your project to the judges, make sure to speak up and make eye contact. Judges understand that you are nervous but they can also tell if you are not prepared so in order to be less nervous make sure you study hard and be prepared to explain your project and answer questions. Very importantly, make sure you choose a topic that you are interested in and want to learn more about.

For a list of winning science fair project ideas visit
http://teachingpsych.googlepages.com/sciencefairprojectideas

- Dr. Rita Oliviera

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